I’m concerned about the state of media relations

When people hear that I’m in media relations, they sometimes ask me if I’m worried media pitching won’t be around much longer.

The answer is definitely no – media relations as a business is stronger than ever. But I AM worried that many people are doing it wrong.

For example, while you’re reading this, I’m teaching a media relations workshop in NYC – it sold out last month, and it’s the biggest crowd we’ve ever had. People are emailing and asking when the next one is because they’re bummed they missed this one.

That’s just one example of how popular media pitching has become and the resources people are throwing at it. But my concern is that too many PR people are grinding it out chasing the OLD media relations model.

Everybody’s CEO wants them in the NYT or the WSJ or on a network morning show or whatever is the Holy Grail in their space. For some organizations that’s still the right priority, and I can help them do that.

But most PR people could get a much bigger return – faster – by adjusting their focus to take advantage of all the new media outlets and channels today.

Take this example – your CEO wants media, but he’s skittish about a couple topics and warns you he won’t answer questions about them. Of course, they happen to be the topics everyone wants to know about your company. You know that traditional media aren’t going to play along.

So instead of tying yourself in knots figuring out how to book an interview with a top-tier outlet, look around. You can find a podcaster who would give her pinky finger for the opportunity to interview a CEO like yours. And would gladly agree to share questions with you in advance, AND give you the right to request edits after the interview. (Don’t dare ask a traditional journalist for either of those, btw).

Even top podcasters make these accommodations. Tim Ferris, who is regularly in iTunes’ Top 50, essentially brags about doing this. That’s how he books celebrity guests who in turn attract more listeners to his podcast. He even persuaded reclusive billionaire Peter Thiel on by allowing him to record the session solo and choose from a list of written questions!

Reid Hoffman started a new podcast (Masters of Scale) off with an incredible run of guests including Reid Hastings, Marc Zuckerberg, Eric Schmidt and Sheryl Sandberg. You gotta believe that those heavy hitters reserved the right to collaborate on question selection and the final edit.

Now, you and I don’t get to work with celebrities or mega-CEOs. But somewhere there is a podcaster with an audience – perhaps small, but passionate – who would LOVE to hear from your CEO. So you book that interview, and then transcribe it. And then you pull out some cool quotes, and the nugget of news that you saved to break on the podcast.

Then you pitch those quotes and the link to the podcast to the digital-only outlets that cover your space. Think Mashable or Business Insider if you’re big enough, or a few respected single-author blogs if you’re not.

They get a post that’s essentially half-written and it’s more credible because it’s not based on your “owned” content, it’s a third-party’s content. The podcaster loves you because you’re promoting her podcast, so she joins in and starts promoting the interview as well.

And then when things go right, these posts get shared and re-purposed on more sites, and sometimes the traditional media even call 🙂

That’s just one example of how you can adapt to the times. When your CEO talks about landing top-tier traditional media, nod your head and do your best to comply. But at the same time, fill up the web with placements from new media who are way easier to work with.

P.S. A free press holding top institutions accountable is essential to our society. What I’ve written here has nothing to do with government officials, who I believe are obligated to answer unfiltered questions from representatives of the taxpayers they work for.  My main audience for this message are those companies or organizations who are being overlooked by traditional, top-tier media. Not those who are trying to avoid them.